Died On This Date (May 31, 2008) Barry Lederer / Popular Disco-Era DJ

Barry Lederer
1944 – May 31, 2008

Born in Queens, Barry Lederer, started his DJ career while attending college in upstate New York.   It was there that began throwing parties, entertaining guests with tapes he made from the radio. Lederer moved back to New York City after college and started hanging out a club called the Firehouse.  After complaining to management about the music being played, he was given a shot at putting his money where his mouth was.  Before long, he was drawing crowds of as many as 1500 on weekends.  He soon became a popular draw at the gay clubs throughout New York’s Fire Island.  Lederer also wrote a Disco column in Billboard magazine during the hieght of the era.  He passed away of heart disease on May 31, 2008.

Died On This Date (May 14, 2009) William D. Littleford / Former Chairman of Billboard Magazine

William D. Littleford
August 14, 1914 – May 14, 2009

littlefordWilliam D. Littleford entered the publishing business in 1934 when he joined the staff of Billboard magazine, which his grandfather founded in 1894.  Starting as an apprentice, Littleford became GM in 1943, and then President and CEO in 1958.  He stayed in that position until the magazine was sold in the mid ’80s, afterwhich he was appointed Chairman Emeritus.  He passed away in his home at the age of 94.

Died On This Date (April 30, 1982) Lester Bangs / Music Journalist

Leslie “Lester” Bangs
December 13, 1948 – April 30, 1982

bangsAs a writer for Cream and Rolling Stone magazines, Lester Bangs was a highly influential rock music journalist.  Bangs’ first review to be published came in 1969 when he answered a Rolling Stone ad looking for readers’ reviews.  He sent in a negative critique of the MC5’s Kick Out The Jams, and never looked back.  Bangs wrote for the magazine until 1973 when he was fired for allegedly being too critical and disrespectful toward the musicians he wrote about.  Bangs relocated to Detroit where he edited and wrote for Cream.  It was Cream that Bangs began to build his reputation as a brilliant if not confrontational music journalist.  In the ensuing years, he contributed to Playboy, the Village Voice and NME.   Bangs died of an accidental overdose at the age of 33.  Drugs he had been taking to treat a cold adversely interacted with each other.

Died On This Date (April 22, 2010) Gene Lees / Jazz Historian and Lyricist

Frederick “Gene” Lees
February 8, 1928 – April 22, 2010

Gene Lees was a respected music critic, biographer and historian who also found success as a songwriter.  Already an established journalist in his home country of Canada, Lees became the editor of Down Beat in 1959.  He also wrote for the New York Times, Stereo Review, High Fidelity and the Toronto Star, to name a few.  Lees wrote liner notes as well.  Albums by John Coltrane, Quincy Jones and Stan Getz include his work.  He also collaborated on several jazz biographies and wrote a couple of respected historical books on jazz as well.  As a lyricist, Lees wrote the words for songs by the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Charles Aznavour and Bill Evans.  His songs have been recorded by Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall, Sarah Vaughan, and Queen Latifah, to name a few.  Gene Lees was 82 when he passed away in his home on April 22, 2010.



Died On This Date (April 2, 2010) Mike Zwerin / Jazz Musician & Critic

Mike Zwerin
May 18, 1930 – April 2, 2010

Mike Zwerin was a respected jazz trombonist and long time music critic.  As a musician, he is perhaps best remembered for his years playing with Miles Davis in his Birth of the Cool band.  As a jazz reviewer, Zwerin graced the pages of Rolling Stone, Down Beat, Bloomberg News and the Village Voice, where he was the European editor from 1964 to 1971.  Mike Zwerin was 79 when he died on April 2, 2010.  He had been ill for some time.